Coin collector apparatus



May 13, 1941. J. 5. FRANKS COIN COLLECTOR APPARATUS Filed Dec. 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M/Vf/VTOI? a. s. FRAN/rs 2 Arronwfr y 1941'- J. s. FRANKS 2,241,452

com COLLECTOR {LPPA'RATUS Filed Dec. 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GJ J {A L armature.

Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIQE.

COIN COLLECTOR APPARATUS Application December 9, 1938, Serial No. 244,732

3 Claims.

This invention relates to coin collector apparatus, particularly of the type for use in a telephone pay station employing an electromagnetic structure and signal switching mechanism which controls the collecting or refunding of the deposited coins.

In apparatus of the type mentioned there is usually provided an electromagnetic structure or unit under the control of the central oifice operator so arranged that the direction of the elec-' "tric current transmitted from the central office will move an armature to position a coin directing vane,etc. to either collect or refund the deposited coins. After an operation of the armature in either direction coil springs restore the armature to its neutral position. This general structure and method of operation is fully described in U. S. Patent 1,043,219 to O. F. Forsberg, No,- vember 5, 1912.

Objects of this invention are to simplify the construction and improve the operating characteristics of such units.

In accordance with the above objects this invention contemplates, in one embodiment thereof, an electromagnetic structure or unit wherein an 2.:

armature is secured to a non-magnetic pivoted member having integrally formed thereon bearsing ears for receiving fulcrum elements, the member also having integrally formed thereon combined armature stop and restoring arms. The up- 1 per surface of the member is arranged relative to actuating arms of the unit so that it directly engages one or the other of the restoring arms, depending on thedirection of movement of the To restore the armature to its neutral position after an operation in either direction a substantially horizontally disposed flat r'leafspring is attached to a non-magnetic frame or bridge plate, which carries the fulcrum ele- ,ments.

restoring arms of the armature supporting membe! and at its extreme ends normally engages under tension the lower surfaces of stop arms formed integral with the bridge plate.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a telephone coin collector mechanism unit to This leaf spring, adjacent its end por- .tions, engages the combined armature stop and coin trap at the bottom of the coin hopper.

the central ofiice. lowered position by means of an extension 21 of the armature looking toward the coin hop- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one detail of the mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 6 illustrates a typical telephone circuit with which the coin collector apparatus of this insertion may be employed.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a portion of a telephone coin collector unit of the general type disclosed in the above mentioned Forsberg patent, to which reference may be made for further details as to its construction and mode of operation. As described in detail in said-patent, when it is desired to make a call, a coin is deposited in a coin gauge, whereupon it passes through a coin chute and finally drops into a coin hopper It and comes to rest on a A coin trigger I! extends into the hopper I0 and is pivoted at l2 to an extension [3 of a nonmagnetic frame or bridge plate [.4 surrounding pole pieces I! and 18 of two magnet windings I9 and 2G. 'Mounted on another extension 2| of the bridge plate It, at the opposite end thereof, is a contact spring pile-up 24.

maintain the springs out of contact with each other.

The deposited coin passing down the hopper it! strikes the trigger ll, moving the portion thereof extending into the hopper downwardly so that it no longer supports the spring 25 in its raised position. The released spring 25 under its own tension forces the contact springs of the-pile-up 24 together, thereby closing a circuit to the central ofiice where a signal is given indicating that it is desired to make a call. These springs also establish a circuit by means of which the action of the magnet comprising the windings l9 and 20 may be controlled from The trigger is held in its oi the spring 25 which has moved over the cam projection 26 of the trigger.

After the call desired is completed the deposited coin is collected, or if the call is not completed the deposited coin is refunded. In either case, the central office operator closes a circuit extending through the closed contact springs of the pile-up 24 and the windings l9 and 20 to cause an armature '28 to move from its neutral position and by means of a forked extension or operating lever 3| (Fig. 2) which is mounted in such a manner that it moves with the armature, a Vane (not shown) supporting the coin trap being moved to refund or collect the coin held on the coin trap, all as explained in the aforementioned patent.

The armature 28 is clamped to a pivotal supporting member, indicated in general at 32 (Fig. 2) by a screw 33. The member includes a central horizontal portion 34 to the lower face of which is secured the armature 28. Formed integral with the member 32, are bearing ears 35 and 36 projecting downwardly from the portion 34 and over the opposite longitudinal side edges of the armature 28. In upwardly projecting portions 38 of the bridge plate M are fulcrum elements or trunnion screws 39 which at their inner edges engage in depressions 40 (Fig. 2) of the bearing ears 35 and 36 of the armature supporting member 32, the member tion 34 of the armature supporting member 32 adjacent each end thereof are two arms terminating in short vertical arms 46 and 41 which engage the upper surface of the portion 34. When the coin trigger II is released by a deposited coin the'tensioned spring 25 forces the other springs of the pile-up 24 into contact with each other, the arm 42 f the lever 4| serving as a stop while the circuit through the springs is closed.

The circuit thus established through the spring pile-up 24 is under the control of the central oflice operator who may now complete the energization circuit through the electromagnet whereby the armature 28 is moved in one direction or the other with its supporting member 32 about the fulcrum elements or trunnion screws 39 depending on whether the deposited coin is to be refunded or collected. In the movement of the armature 28 and its supporting member 32 in either direction, one or the other of the arms 46 and 41 which are directly engaged by the upper surface of the central portion 34 of the member 32 will move the lever 4|- about its pivot l2 and the vertical arm 42 will be forced against the contact spring pile-up 24 and effect a movement of the extension 21 of the spring 25 from over the cam projection 26 of the trigger ll, whereupon the latter returns to its normal position, due to the weight of a counterbalance portion 43 of the trigger.

Also integrally formed on the armature supporting member 32 at opposite ends and upon one side thereof are outwardly and downwardly projecting combined armature stop and restoring arms 53 and terminating in upturned portions at their free ends. The lower surfaces of the upturned portions of the arms 55 and 5! normally are slightly spaced from the upper surface and adjacent opposite ends of a substantially horizontally arranged flat leaf spring 52 extending longitudinally along one side of the armature 28 and attached to the frame or bridge plate M by screws 53. The extreme ends of the leaf spring 52 normally engage under tension the lower surfaces of stop arms 54 formed integral with the bridge plate l4. After a movement of the armature 28 in either direction the tensioned ends of the spring 52 upon deenergization of the electromagnet are effective to return the armature to its neutral position.

It will be apparent from the above description that the one-piece armature supporting member 32 serves as an operating arm for the lever 4| through its direct engagement with the arms 45 and 47 thereof in effecting a return of the coin trigger II to its normal position. This armature supporting member also has integrally formed thereon the bearing ears 35 and 36, the operating lever 3| and the combined armature stop and restoring arms 58 and 5|, thus materially reducing the number of parts required and permitting a compact arrangement and an improvement in the operating characteristics of an electromagnetic structure of the type to which the invention is directed. Furthermore, this construction and arrangement taken with the use of the flat leaf restoring spring 52 facilitates assembly and through the reduced number of parts required results in simplification and economy in manufacture.

In another embodiment of the invention, shown in Fig. 5, a pair of leaf springs 68 are arranged at opposite sides of the armature 28 for returning the armature to its normal position, the springs extending along the entire length of the armature and are each secured at one end to opposite ends of the bridge plate by screws 3|. The free ends of the springs 68 normally engage under tension lower surfaces of oppositely directed stop arms 52 formed integral with the bridge plate [4. It will be obvious that due to the relatively long springs 68 as compared to the short arms of the single spring 52 the difference between initial tension and the final tension exerted by the springs is less than that of the short arms of the single spring 52.

The circuit shown in Fig. 6 illustrates diagrammatically the connections between a telephone pay station A and a central oflice station 13 whereby a subscriber upon depositing a coin closes a circuit to the central oflice where a signal is given indicating that it is desired to make a call. Fig. 6 also shows the circuits controlled by the operator at the central office station for either collecting or refunding the deposited coin.

A coin (Fig. 6) upon being deposited in the coin chute (not shown) comes to rest on a coin trap (not shown) at the bottom of the coin hopper l8 (Fig. 1). In passing down the hopper the coin strikes the trigger II which releases the spring 25 to close the circuit at a contact 86 (Fig. 6) in the pile-up 24. A circuit will then be established under these conditions over the following path from round at contact 86, electromagnet windings 9 and 2|], tip side of line L, break contact of a relay 8'! and winding. of a relay 88 to grounded battery. The closure of this circuit will energize the relay 88 and thereby light a lamp 85. The operator noting this light will insert a plug 8| in a jack 32 and cause the lamp 89 to be extinguished in the usual manner. The operator can now communicate with the station A and obtain the number desired by the subscriber. In the event the call is completed a coin collect key 63 is operated and the coin 85 is collected in the following manner. The operation of the key 63 closes a circuit from a battery, lamp E4, winding of a relay 65, an upper make contact 66 of the key 63, an upper closed contact of a coin return key 61, tip contacts of the plug SI and jack 82, tip conductor line L, the electromagnet windings l9 and 2B and the closed contact 86 to ground. The closure of this circuit just described will cause the lamp 64 to be lighted and the relay 65 to be energized. This relay 65 will close a circuit through its make contact from ground to battery through the filament of a lamp iii and cause the latter lamp to be lighted.

In case, however, the coin return key 61 is operated to returna coin because a call has not been completed a circuit will be closed over the following path: From battery, lamp H, relay 12, upper make contact 13 of the coin return key 61, tip contacts of the plug BI and jack 82, tip conductor L, electromagnet windings I9 and 20 and the closed contact 35 to ground. After the keys 63 and 6? are restored to normal and the plug 8! is disconnected from the jack 82 the circuits and apparatus at the central office station B return to normal.

It is to be understood that in operating the coin collect and coin return keys 63 and 6'5, respectively, the circuits are so arranged that currents of opposite polarity are connected to the electromagnet windings l9 and 20, thus efiecting movements in opposite directions of the armature 28 (Figs. 1 and 6) and causing the coin trap upon which the coin rests to be moved in one direction or the other and thereby directing the coin for either collect or refund purposes.

Although the embodiments of this invention as herein illustrated and described are particularly well adapted to use in connection with telephone pay station coin collectors, it should be understood that the invention is capable of other applications and should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin controlled apparatus, a coin hopper, coin operated means associated with said hopper actuated by a coin entered therein, a signal circuit, means including contacts responsive to an actuation of said coin operated means for closing said signal circuit, an electromagnet, an armature, a member from which said armature is rigidly suspended, means for pivotally supporting said member, a unitary bifurcated member having spaced lever arms directly engageable with and actuated by the member and operatively associated with said contacts and coin operated means for restoring the same to their normal positions upon movement of said armature when said electromagnet is energized, and means for pivotally supporting said bifurcated member.

2. In a coin controlled telephone, a coin hopper, coin operated means associated with said hopper actuated by a coin entered therein, a central office circuit, means including contacts responsive to an actuation of said coin operated means for closing said central office circuit, an electromagnet, an armature having a normal position and operative positions, a one-piece member to which said armature is rigidly secured, said member havin integral projecting pivotal bearing portions, pivots for supporting said member, means for returning said armature to and holding it in normal position after a movement thereof to either of its operative positions, comprising a leaf spring extending longitudinally thereof and a pair of stop arms integral with and extending from said member at opposite ends thereof engageable with opposite tensioned ends of said leaf spring, stop members arranged at the ends of the leaf spring effective to hold them in normal tensioned positions, and means directly engageable with and actuated by the pivoted member and operatively associated with said contacts and coin operated means for restoring the same to their normal positions upon movement of-said armature when said electromagnet is energized.

3. In a coin controlled apparatus, a coin hopper, coin operated means associated With said hopper actuated by a coin entered therein, a. signal circuit, means including contacts responsive to an actuation of said coin operated means for closing said signal circuit, an electromagnet, an armature, a member from which said armature is rigidly suspended, means for pivotally supporting said member, means for returning said armature to and holding it in normal position after a movement thereof to either of its operative positions, comprising a pair of leaf springs arranged at opposite sides of and extending along the length of the armature and a pair of abutments carried by said member at opposite ends and upon opposite sides thereof engageable with said leaf springs, the leaf springs being fixed at one end and extending at their free ends in opposite directions to engage said abutments, and means directly engageable with and actuated by the member and operatively associated with said contacts and coin operated means for restoring the same to their normal positions upon movement of said armature when said electromagnet is energized.

JEROME S. FRANKS. 

